Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Itanagar: Foot-and-Mouth Disease is tearing through Dibang Valley. A total of 267 mithuns have died in Arunachal Pradesh over the last two months. Another 1,402 animals are confirmed sick. The outbreak hit 21 villages. It started in the last week of July. Officials confirmed these grim figures on Monday, September 21.
The National Institute of Foot and Mouth Disease in Odisha identified the culprit as FMD serotype O. A status report from September 20 shows 1,225 infected animals have received medical treatment. A four-member rapid response team is currently on the ground. They are working with local veterinary staff to run surveillance and awareness programs.
District Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Officer Dr. Dammo Riba said the state government and the Directorate of Animal Husbandry, Veterinary and Dairy Development provided extra medicine and manpower to fight the virus. Experts from the Centre also visited to assess the damage. FMD hits cloven-hoofed animals hard. The department performs free vaccination drives twice every year at farmers' doorsteps.
Riba warned against spreading rumors about the death toll. He advised everyone to check official data before reporting numbers. He stated, "The department maintains comprehensive livestock records, including household-, individual- and village-level data on mithuns and cattle." Officials are currently urging all livestock owners to cooperate with the ongoing vaccination campaigns to stop the spread.
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